How much is your grocery bill this month so far?

United States
April 10, 2009 9:43am CST
So far I did our big grocery shop the other day and it was $180.00. I got some more groceries today in the amount of $23. That will be about it till the 24th. grocery money is extremely tight in our house. I have to be on a budget and I have to be very economical with the money set aside for groceries. Our budget for groceries shrank from $378 a month to $180 a month for the big shop (I do a meal plan and shop according to that once a month which is our big shop). The only reason why we are spending money outside of the big shop is cause I am still working till the end of tax season. After that it will be back to the $180 at the beginning of the month and about $100 towards the end of the month.
8 people like this
25 responses
• United States
10 Apr 09
We spend maybe 120 a week on groceries, it seems a little much, but we try to stock up when they have buy one get one free items. Then maybe the next week we might not spend the 120 but maybe between 80 - 100 since we stocked up for two weeks on meat. It also depends on where we go grocery shopping of course. We might go to walmart for some stuff and try to save there but then going to the local fruit stand in town helps a lot as we might only spend 20 on fruits and vegetables there as we might have spent around 40 at walmart or a local grocery store. This amount is for the family of three. Now i might go grocery shopping with the boyfriend and spend monthly around 60 dollars for him and then that's pretty good. Right now he is waiting for his food stamp card to be refilled and then we can really go spending some money on groceries for him and those groceries will last almost a little over a month and that is pretty good. We've been waiting on those so we haven't been spending to much on groceries i think this week we might have spent 25 on some pizza's, corn dogs, salad, dressing, and some chips and cheese it's as a lot of those were buy one get one free at the local grocery store so we tried to stock up on those.
2 people like this
• United States
10 Apr 09
I try to buy the bogo at Publix (buy one get one free) and I also do the 10 for $10 at winn dixie. I do a bit of shopping at walmart. I really love it when I can get to the commissary and stock up cause the prices are so much cheaper. I do coupons, and track sales.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Apr 09
All things like life insurance,vehicles and such are considered as assets and are then valued and added to your gross assets. Also any bank acct.s are considered as a cash on hand value. So depending on the state in which you live you are allowed are certain amount of asssets and income level to still qualify for food stamps. It doesn't hurt to apply and see what they say the worse they can say is no and deny you.
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
11 Apr 09
I wonder if it is difficult to get food stamps. are you allowed to have such things as a life insurance policy? or do they make you sell all assets?
1 person likes this
@mflower2053 (3223)
• United States
14 Apr 09
We spent about 184 at the grocery store last weekend. We had to buy things that we normally don't buy b/c we were gone camping this past weekend. We spend about $600 a month but I am trying to cut back and I think I have been doing pretty well but you can't really tell. Alot of our personal needs things I have been getting alot cheaper by watching sales and using coupons. Somethings I get for free which is really nice. I wish I had a publix so I could get even better deals. Everyone is always saying how they get awesome deals from there. I only have winn dixie or super walmart in my area. Not that winn dixie is that bad if you follow the sales but it would be better if they would throw in a double coupon week once in a while.
2 people like this
• United States
15 Apr 09
Oh I love our publix. I live in a place with no double coupons anywhere so I know what you mean. If they would even offer it jsut one day a week at one store that would be great.
1 person likes this
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
20 Apr 09
we have a family of 4 and we usually spend about $280 every two weeks or so, but lately we have also cut down some and have gotten some food for free from my in laws (they bought us laundry detergent for example) so that helps a lot.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (168434)
• United States
10 Apr 09
There are only two of us here so our grocery bill is not usually that large. I just spent about 66 dollars at Aldi's yesterday and that including buying a hose and a rosebush. I do tend to pick up at least alittle bit of food every other day though. It is just easy to grab stuff when I go out.
2 people like this
• United States
10 Apr 09
It is three of us and with all three of us at home each day that is three meals a day. We don't have money for snacks so there is no snacking unless I bake something which I do about once a week. I try to keep breakfast simple and lunch leftovers that way we can budget for dinner being the largest meal of the day.
1 person likes this
@gracie04 (4549)
• Philippines
10 Apr 09
There are only two of us here living in a studio type condominium unit that's why we don't spend too much money on groceries.. We did our grocery shopping last week and hubby spent $15 dollars.. Yeah, cheap isn't?! we have only bought the things we need such as fish, veggies and some toiletries.. we don't have enough budget to do big time grocery shopping now as we've used our money to pay our condominium rental, association dues and electric and water bills.. hubby's payday is on the 25th and we don't know where to get money to pay for our next grocery shopping yet.. yay!
• United States
20 Apr 09
In my household there are six people and three animals. We spend including groceries and toiletries about $400 every two weeks. I have been reading many of the replys to this discussion and one question keeps popping into my head, how do they do it ? Do you guys buy fresh produce or are u guys living on proccessed meats, ramen noodles and canned items? I am cocerned that many people are not feeding themselves properly. I can only pray to God that all of you can find a way to be healthy and find prosperity while this reccession is occuring.
2 people like this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
13 Apr 09
We spend $250 a month. I do one big shop a month and use lots of coupons. We feed a family of 4.
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
11 Apr 09
We went last Saturday and bought more than $220 worth of groceries. I was out of everything though. Laundry detergent, dish washer tablets, sugar, flour. I also shopped at our Kroger store and used my discount card. So many of the things were on sale. by the time she took off my discounts, I had saved over $50! My total bill was actually only $168 I will probably have to do that at least one more time, but it won't be quite that much, because I won't have to replace the more expensive items.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Apr 09
So far this month I have spent less than $100. This is for a family of 7, a cat and dog. Normally my budget is between $250 - $300 for the month and I am usually pretty good at staying within that. Some months might be a little higher but then other months might be lower - so they even things out.
1 person likes this
• United States
12 Apr 09
You should share some tips on how you accomplish this. We have 3 people, 2 dogs and 2 cats and we spend way more than that when we have it in the budget. Our food (just food nothing else) budget alone is $180, then about $50 on pets, and about $100 on cleaning, tp, and laundry.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
11 Apr 09
So far this month I have spent probably $125 on groceries, but I have also spent about $50 on my sister. She is waiting for an invoice she submitted to get paid, so she is broke till it comes in. She is giving me the $50 back in about 2 weeks, so I am not counting it. I will spend at least another $100 before the month is up.
1 person likes this
• United States
13 Apr 09
Well, I dont drive as most of you know,SO when I go to the store I try and get everything I wilL need for the month in one shopping trip.. I did shopping saterday becase we were having a coomout for easter In all that I spent just about 300 but I did have to get alot for the cookout. so for my house I probally spent as much as you 180...This month I wil have to go back to the store in a week or two just to mkae up for the stuff I did not get or the stuff I used for the cookout. There is only 4 in my house hold so i shouldnt be spending anymore then that 300 already but this was a special occasion so I am spending alittle more this month..
@GreenMoo (11834)
2 May 09
I've no idea how much I've spent so much this month so far. I do keep all my receipts so that I can check, but looking would be too scary. I spend between 100 - 150 euros each time I shop in the supermarket, and I do that twice a week. On top of that I spend approximately 8 euros a week with the fruit man and 22 euros with the baker. Then there's the butcher, perhaps another 10 euros a week? Of course, my shopping bill does vary depending on how many I have in the house, but looking at those figures it's no suprise to me that I never seem to have any money! Very roughly indeed, one euro is two US dollars.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
11 Apr 09
Right now my fiance and I are lucky enough to live with his parents. They spend a great deal on groceries a month, atleast $200.00. I know that my fiance and I are trying to do as best we can to help with that by finding cheaper items we enjoy eating. We're hoping to make enough money online that we can save, spend and help pay for bills, but if that doesn't happen I know I've been thinking of other alternatives seeing as it may be better then trying to find a job!
1 person likes this
• India
11 Apr 09
my grocery billing is our day today life $300.... we got more groceries items .... Budget is more much in normal people life...
1 person likes this
@xbrendax (2662)
• United States
11 Apr 09
I know exactly what my food bill is a month and it is $200! I am very poor and I get $200 a month on my food stamp card!
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
11 Apr 09
we are 5 in our family and our groceries usually end up around 400 a month. but now we have lost our job and there is no unemployment, so we are trying to make do with $100 a month. yikes!
1 person likes this
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
10 Apr 09
Hey sweet! You are doing really well! I have to shop for two on about $200 or so a month! My boyfriend is only home for the weekend meals. He eats at his job most of the time during the week because he works in a college cafeteria. But, soon he will be home more often in the summer semester so we will have to spend more money or budget better! You have more people to include, but you also grow some of your own veggies which does help. I wish there was some other ways that I could cut costs! It is so expensive for everything I just don't know what to do! I only buy what I need and I just can't cut anywhere else!
1 person likes this
@Toofancy (548)
• United States
10 Apr 09
There are 5 people in my household. I have 3 children still at home, but they are grown. The two girls (twins/21 years old) really don't eat much at home. They go out to eat a lot. One of them buys a lot of her own food to keep at home, and take for lunches to work. That helps a lot. But our boy (19) eats us out of house and home! My word. So when I grocery shop, I spend about $190-$200 easy every time. And I need to go once a week. Then during the week, we still have to get more milk, bread, toliet paper, soft drinks, etc. that we run out of before we are ready to go shopping again. So I guess I would say that we spend $700-$800 per month...or something close to that. Wow! I had never thought about it before on a monthly basis. I do the same as you, and I shop by a list that I have prepared from my meal plan for the week. But by the time you add cleaning products, hair care items, etc. it can really get expensive. I have to cook a big meal every night. I really try to serve leftovers (if there are any), so that food does not go to waste.
@kissieme (777)
• Philippines
11 Apr 09
hi sweetdesign... Since I live alone here in the city, the average I spend on groceries in a month is about $40. I try to budget everything from food to toiletries. It's not much compared to US monthly groceries because I live here in the Philippines and the cost of living is not as high as the western countries... Though mine is already in a tight budget, some go higher, too, here. lol
1 person likes this
@albedo (55)
• United States
11 Apr 09
I usually don't spend more than $200 a month on groceries. But I don't need very much anyway. The budget for food has definitely come down lately, and I'm not spending nearly as much as I used to on food.